Lesson 144: Defective Verbs

A verb whose third radical is و or ي is called defective, فِعْلٌ نَاقِصٌ, because in many of its forms the last radical is shortened or lost. Three models cover the whole class. رَمَى، يَرْمِي to throw has ي as third radical and the pattern فَعَلَ، يَفْعِلُ. دَعَا، يَدْعُو to call has و and the pattern فَعَلَ، يَفْعُلُ. نَسِيَ، يَنْسَى to forget (like بَقِيَ، يَبْقَى to remain and رَضِيَ، يَرْضَى to be pleased) has the pattern فَعِلَ، يَفْعَلُ. Every change you will meet comes from one habit of Arabic: a و or ي standing between vowels, or after a vowel at the end of a word, is unstable. After a it melts into ā; after i it becomes ī; after u it becomes ū; and where the sound verb would have sukūn on the last radical, the weak letter simply vanishes. The vowel of the second radical in the imperfect tells you which of the three models to follow.

Rule 1: 1. The perfect: رَمَى، دَعَا، نَسِيَ

In the 3rd person masculine singular the original رَمَيَ and دَعَوَ contract to ramā and daʿā. The spelling preserves the lost radical: a verb in ي is written with alif maqṣūra, رَمَى, a verb in و with a plain alif, دَعَا. In the فَعِلَ type the ي follows a kasra and is stable: نَسِيَ, بَقِيَ, رَضِيَ. Before a suffix that begins with a consonant (ـتُ، ـتَ، ـتِ، ـنَا، ـتُمْ، ـتُنَّ، ـنَ) the radical reappears in its true shape: رَمَيْتُ, دَعَوْتُ, نَسِيتُ (for nasiytu: iy before a consonant is written and pronounced ī).

دَعَا الْإِمَامُ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ.
daʿa l-imāmu li-l-muslimīna baʿda ṣ-ṣalāti
The imam prayed for the Muslims after the prayer.
دَعَا for دَعَوَ: the و shows in the alif.
بَكَى الرَّجُلُ عِنْدَ سَمَاعِ الْقُرْآنِ.
baka r-rajulu ʿinda samāʿi l-qurʾāni
The man wept on hearing the Quran.
بَكَى for بَكَيَ: alif maqṣūra points to the ي.
رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنِ الصَّحَابَةِ كُلِّهِمْ.
raḍiya llāhu ʿani ṣ-ṣaḥābati kullihim
God was pleased with all the Companions.
فَعِلَ type: the ي keeps its fatḥa after the kasra.
تَلَوْتُ سُورَةَ الْكَهْفِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ.
talawtu sūrata l-kahfi yawma l-jumuʿati
I recited Sūrat al-Kahf on Friday.
تَلَا، يَتْلُو: before ـتُ the و comes back.
بَنَيْنَا مَسْجِدًا صَغِيرًا فِي الْقَرْيَةِ.
banaynā masjidan ṣaghīran fi l-qaryati
We built a small mosque in the village.
بَنَى، يَبْنِي: before ـنَا the ي comes back.
نَسِيتُ الدُّعَاءَ فَذَكَّرَنِي أَخِي بِهِ.
nasītu d-duʿāʾa fa-dhakkaranī akhī bihi
I forgot the supplication, so my brother reminded me of it.
نَسِيتُ: kasra + ي before a consonant gives ī.

Rule 2: 2. The perfect before vowel endings: رَمَتْ، رَمَوْا، نَسُوا

Three endings of the perfect begin with a vowel or stand next to one, and here the weak letter suffers. The 3rd feminine singular and dual: in رَمَى and دَعَا the weak letter is dropped before ـَتْ and ـَتَا: رَمَتْ, دَعَتْ, رَمَتَا, دَعَتَا; in the فَعِلَ type it stays: نَسِيَتْ, بَقِيَتَا. The masculine dual keeps the radical in full: رَمَيَا, دَعَوَا, نَسِيَا. The 3rd masculine plural ending ـُوا gives رَمَوْا ramaw and دَعَوْا daʿaw (a + ū shortened to aw), while in the فَعِلَ type iyū collapses into ū: نَسُوا nasū, بَقُوا baqū, رَضُوا raḍū. When رَمَوْا is followed by the article the final و takes a ḍamma: رَمَوُا الْجِمَارَ.

دَعَتِ الْأُمُّ لِابْنِهَا بِالتَّوْفِيقِ.
daʿati l-ummu li-bnihā bi-t-tawfīqi
The mother prayed for her son's success.
دَعَتْ, not دَعَاتْ: the و is dropped before ـَتْ.
بَقِيَتِ الْجَدَّةُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى الْعِشَاءِ.
baqiyati l-jaddatu fi l-masjidi ḥatta l-ʿishāʾi
The grandmother stayed in the mosque until the night prayer.
فَعِلَ type: the ي stays, بَقِيَتْ.
اَلرَّجُلَانِ مَشَيَا إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَالْمَرْأَتَانِ مَشَتَا خَلْفَهُمَا.
ar-rajulāni mashayā ila l-masjidi wa-l-marʾatāni mashatā khalfahumā
The two men walked to the mosque and the two women walked behind them.
Masculine dual مَشَيَا keeps the ي; feminine dual مَشَتَا loses it.
اَلْحُجَّاجُ رَمَوُا الْجِمَارَ ثُمَّ دَعَوُا اللّٰهَ.
al-ḥujjāju ramawu l-jimāra thumma daʿawu llāha
The pilgrims threw the pebbles, then called upon God.
رَمَوْا, دَعَوْا; the و takes ḍamma before hamzat al-waṣl.
اَلطُّلَّابُ نَسُوا الْآيَةَ فَبَقُوا صَامِتِينَ.
aṭ-ṭullābu nasu l-āyata fa-baqū ṣāmitīna
The students forgot the verse and remained silent.
نَسُوا for نَسِيُوا, بَقُوا for بَقِيُوا.

The perfect of the three models

The weak radical reappears before every suffix beginning with a consonant; it is lost in رَمَتْ، دَعَتْ and shortened in رَمَوْا، دَعَوْا، نَسُوا.
Person	رَمَى (ي)	دَعَا (و)	نَسِيَ (فَعِلَ)
he	رَمَىramā	دَعَاdaʿā	نَسِيَnasiya
she	رَمَتْramat	دَعَتْdaʿat	نَسِيَتْnasiyat
you (m.)	رَمَيْتَramayta	دَعَوْتَdaʿawta	نَسِيتَnasīta
you (f.)	رَمَيْتِramayti	دَعَوْتِdaʿawti	نَسِيتِnasīti
I	رَمَيْتُramaytu	دَعَوْتُdaʿawtu	نَسِيتُnasītu
they two (m.)	رَمَيَاramayā	دَعَوَاdaʿawā	نَسِيَاnasiyā
they two (f.)	رَمَتَاramatā	دَعَتَاdaʿatā	نَسِيَتَاnasiyatā
you two	رَمَيْتُمَاramaytumā	دَعَوْتُمَاdaʿawtumā	نَسِيتُمَاnasītumā
they (m.)	رَمَوْاramaw	دَعَوْاdaʿaw	نَسُواnasū
they (f.)	رَمَيْنَramayna	دَعَوْنَdaʿawna	نَسِينَnasīna
you (m. pl.)	رَمَيْتُمْramaytum	دَعَوْتُمْdaʿawtum	نَسِيتُمْnasītum
you (f. pl.)	رَمَيْتُنَّramaytunna	دَعَوْتُنَّdaʿawtunna	نَسِيتُنَّnasītunna
we	رَمَيْنَاramaynā	دَعَوْنَاdaʿawnā	نَسِينَاnasīnā

Rule 3: 3. The imperfect indicative: يَرْمِي، يَدْعُو، يَنْسَى

The sound verb would give يَرْمِيُ, يَدْعُوُ, يَنْسَيُ. The final ḍamma cannot sit on the weak letter, so the indicative ends in a long vowel: يَرْمِي yarmī, يَدْعُو yadʿū, and in the فَعِلَ type ayu becomes ā, written with alif maqṣūra: يَنْسَى yansā, يَبْقَى, يَرْضَى. Before the endings ـِينَ and ـُونَ the weak letter is absorbed: تَرْمِينَ, يَرْمُونَ; تَدْعِينَ (for tadʿuwīna), يَدْعُونَ. In the فَعِلَ type the fatḥa of the second radical remains and the ending shows a diphthong: تَنْسَيْنَ tansayna, يَنْسَوْنَ yansawna. The duals and the feminine plurals keep the radical: يَرْمِيَانِ, يَدْعُوَانِ, يَنْسَيَانِ; يَرْمِينَ, يَدْعُونَ, يَنْسَيْنَ. Notice that in يَدْعُونَ they (m.) call and they (f.) call are written and pronounced alike, as are تَرْمِينَ you (f. sg.) throw and تَرْمِينَ you (f. pl.) throw.

يَتْلُو الْقَارِئُ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّ صَبَاحٍ.
yatlu l-qāriʾu l-qurʾāna kulla ṣabāḥin
The reciter recites the Quran every morning.
يَتْلُو: و-verb, long ū.
تَبْكِي الْمَرْأَةُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللّٰهِ.
tabki l-marʾatu min khashyati llāhi
The woman weeps out of fear of God.
تَبْكِي: ي-verb, long ī.
أَرْجُو مِنَ اللّٰهِ الْمَغْفِرَةَ وَأَخْشَى عِقَابَهُ.
arjū mina llāhi l-maghfirata wa-akhshā ʿiqābahu
I hope for forgiveness from God and fear His punishment.
أَرْجُو (و-verb) beside أَخْشَى (فَعِلَ type).
هَلْ تَنْسَيْنَ أَذْكَارَ الصَّبَاحِ يَا فَاطِمَةُ؟
hal tansayna adhkāra ṣ-ṣabāḥi yā fāṭimatu
Do you forget the morning remembrances, Fāṭima?
2nd f. sg. of the فَعِلَ type: تَنْسَيْنَ with the diphthong ay.
أَنْتِ تَدْعِينَ لِأُمِّكِ وَهُمْ يَدْعُونَ لِأَبِيهِمْ.
anti tadʿīna li-ummiki wa-hum yadʿūna li-abīhim
You pray for your mother and they pray for their father.
تَدْعِينَ for تَدْعُوِينَ; يَدْعُونَ for يَدْعُوُونَ.
اَلْمُؤْمِنُونَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ.
al-muʾminūna yakhshawna rabbahum wa-yarjūna raḥmatahu
The believers fear their Lord and hope for His mercy.
يَخْشَوْنَ (aw) beside يَرْجُونَ (ū).

Rule 4: 4. Subjunctive and jussive: يَرْمِيَ، يَرْمِ

Subjunctive. The fatḥa of the subjunctive can sit on ي and و, so it is written: أَنْ يَرْمِيَ, أَنْ يَدْعُوَ. In the فَعِلَ type it is swallowed by the ā: أَنْ يَنْسَى, identical with the indicative. Jussive. The sound verb would end in sukūn; a long vowel cannot be made vowelless, so the weak letter is dropped and only its short vowel remains: لَمْ يَرْمِ lam yarmi, لَمْ يَدْعُ lam yadʿu, لَمْ يَنْسَ lam yansa. The persons that drop the ن are the same in subjunctive and jussive, as in the sound verb: تَرْمِي, يَرْمِيَا, يَرْمُوا; تَدْعِي, يَدْعُوا; تَنْسَيْ, يَنْسَوْا. The feminine plurals never change: يَرْمِينَ, يَدْعُونَ, يَنْسَيْنَ.

أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَدْعُوَ لِوَالِدَيَّ بَعْدَ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ.
urīdu an adʿuwa li-wālidayya baʿda kulli ṣalātin
I want to pray for my parents after every prayer.
Subjunctive أَدْعُوَ with its fatḥa written.
لَنْ يَنْسَى اللّٰهُ عَمَلَ الصَّالِحِينَ.
lan yansa llāhu ʿamala ṣ-ṣāliḥīna
God will not forget the work of the righteous.
After لَنْ the فَعِلَ type looks exactly like the indicative.
لَمْ يَبْقَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَحَدٌ بَعْدَ الْعِشَاءِ.
lam yabqa fi l-masjidi aḥadun baʿda l-ʿishāʾi
Nobody remained in the mosque after the night prayer.
Jussive يَبْقَ: the alif maqṣūra is gone.
لَمْ أَرْمِ الْجِمَارَ بَعْدُ.
lam armi l-jimāra baʿdu
I have not thrown the pebbles yet.
Jussive أَرْمِ for أَرْمِي.
لَا تَدْعُ مَعَ اللّٰهِ أَحَدًا.
lā tadʿu maʿa llāhi aḥadan
Do not call upon anyone besides God.
Prohibition with the jussive تَدْعُ.
لِيَتْلُ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ آيَةً، وَلَا تَبْكُوا.
li-yatlu kullu wāḥidin minkum āyatan, wa-lā tabkū
Let each one of you recite a verse, and do not weep.
لِيَتْلُ: lām of command; تَبْكُوا: a nūn-dropping form, unchanged.

Rule 5: 5. The imperative: اِرْمِ، اُدْعُ، اِنْسَ

The imperative is cut from the jussive, so it too loses the weak letter in the masculine singular: اِرْمِ throw!, اُدْعُ call!, اِنْسَ forget!, اِبْقَ stay!. The hamzat al-waṣl takes kasra, except with the و-verbs whose imperfect vowel is u: اُدْعُ, اُتْلُ. The other persons follow the jussive: اِرْمِي، اِرْمِيَا، اِرْمُوا، اِرْمِينَ; اُدْعِي، اُدْعُوَا، اُدْعُوا، اُدْعُونَ; اِنْسَيْ، اِنْسَيَا، اِنْسَوْا، اِنْسَيْنَ. The feminine singular of the و-verb, اُدْعِي, looks like a ي-verb: the ī of the ending has swallowed the و.

اُدْعُ رَبَّكَ فِي السِّرِّ وَالْعَلَنِ.
udʿu rabbaka fi s-sirri wa-l-ʿalani
Call upon your Lord in secret and in public.
اِبْقَ فِي مُصَلَّاكَ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ.
ibqa fī muṣallāka ḥattā taṭluʿa sh-shamsu
Stay in your place of prayer until the sun rises.
اُتْلِي يَا مَرْيَمُ سُورَةَ الْفَاتِحَةِ.
utlī yā maryamu sūrata l-fātiḥati
Recite, Maryam, Sūrat al-Fātiḥa.
Feminine singular of تَلَا، يَتْلُو: the hamza keeps its ḍamma.
اِرْمُوا الْجِمَارَ بَعْدَ الزَّوَالِ يَا حُجَّاجُ.
irmu l-jimāra baʿda z-zawāli yā ḥujjāju
Throw the pebbles after midday, pilgrims.
اِنْسَوْا مَا مَضَى وَاسْعَوْا إِلَى الْخَيْرِ.
insaw mā maḍā wa-sʿaw ila l-khayri
Forget what has passed and strive towards the good.
Masculine plural of the فَعِلَ type keeps the diphthong aw.

The imperfect of رَمَى، يَرْمِي

Indicative, subjunctive and jussive differ only where the sound verb has a final vowel; the nūn-dropping persons are the same in subjunctive and jussive.
Person	Indicative	Subjunctive	Jussive	Imperative
he	يَرْمِيyarmī	يَرْمِيَyarmiya	يَرْمِyarmi	—
she	تَرْمِيtarmī	تَرْمِيَtarmiya	تَرْمِtarmi	—
you (m.)	تَرْمِيtarmī	تَرْمِيَtarmiya	تَرْمِtarmi	اِرْمِirmi
you (f.)	تَرْمِينَtarmīna	تَرْمِيtarmī	تَرْمِيtarmī	اِرْمِيirmī
I	أَرْمِيarmī	أَرْمِيَarmiya	أَرْمِarmi	—
they two (m.)	يَرْمِيَانِyarmiyāni	يَرْمِيَاyarmiyā	يَرْمِيَاyarmiyā	—
they two (f.)	تَرْمِيَانِtarmiyāni	تَرْمِيَاtarmiyā	تَرْمِيَاtarmiyā	—
you two	تَرْمِيَانِtarmiyāni	تَرْمِيَاtarmiyā	تَرْمِيَاtarmiyā	اِرْمِيَاirmiyā
they (m.)	يَرْمُونَyarmūna	يَرْمُواyarmū	يَرْمُواyarmū	—
they (f.)	يَرْمِينَyarmīna	يَرْمِينَyarmīna	يَرْمِينَyarmīna	—
you (m. pl.)	تَرْمُونَtarmūna	تَرْمُواtarmū	تَرْمُواtarmū	اِرْمُواirmū
you (f. pl.)	تَرْمِينَtarmīna	تَرْمِينَtarmīna	تَرْمِينَtarmīna	اِرْمِينَirmīna
we	نَرْمِيnarmī	نَرْمِيَnarmiya	نَرْمِnarmi	—

The imperfect of دَعَا، يَدْعُو and نَسِيَ، يَنْسَى

The subjunctive of يَدْعُو is يَدْعُوَ; that of يَنْسَى is يَنْسَى, unchanged. The nūn-dropping persons of the subjunctive are identical with the jussive forms given here.
Person	يَدْعُو indicative	يَدْعُو jussive	Imperative	يَنْسَى indicative	يَنْسَى jussive	Imperative
he	يَدْعُوyadʿū	يَدْعُyadʿu	—	يَنْسَىyansā	يَنْسَyansa	—
she	تَدْعُوtadʿū	تَدْعُtadʿu	—	تَنْسَىtansā	تَنْسَtansa	—
you (m.)	تَدْعُوtadʿū	تَدْعُtadʿu	اُدْعُudʿu	تَنْسَىtansā	تَنْسَtansa	اِنْسَinsa
you (f.)	تَدْعِينَtadʿīna	تَدْعِيtadʿī	اُدْعِيudʿī	تَنْسَيْنَtansayna	تَنْسَيْtansay	اِنْسَيْinsay
I	أَدْعُوadʿū	أَدْعُadʿu	—	أَنْسَىansā	أَنْسَansa	—
they two (m.)	يَدْعُوَانِyadʿuwāni	يَدْعُوَاyadʿuwā	—	يَنْسَيَانِyansayāni	يَنْسَيَاyansayā	—
they two (f.)	تَدْعُوَانِtadʿuwāni	تَدْعُوَاtadʿuwā	—	تَنْسَيَانِtansayāni	تَنْسَيَاtansayā	—
you two	تَدْعُوَانِtadʿuwāni	تَدْعُوَاtadʿuwā	اُدْعُوَاudʿuwā	تَنْسَيَانِtansayāni	تَنْسَيَاtansayā	اِنْسَيَاinsayā
they (m.)	يَدْعُونَyadʿūna	يَدْعُواyadʿū	—	يَنْسَوْنَyansawna	يَنْسَوْاyansaw	—
they (f.)	يَدْعُونَyadʿūna	يَدْعُونَyadʿūna	—	يَنْسَيْنَyansayna	يَنْسَيْنَyansayna	—
you (m. pl.)	تَدْعُونَtadʿūna	تَدْعُواtadʿū	اُدْعُواudʿū	تَنْسَوْنَtansawna	تَنْسَوْاtansaw	اِنْسَوْاinsaw
you (f. pl.)	تَدْعُونَtadʿūna	تَدْعُونَtadʿūna	اُدْعُونَudʿūna	تَنْسَيْنَtansayna	تَنْسَيْنَtansayna	اِنْسَيْنَinsayna
we	نَدْعُوnadʿū	نَدْعُnadʿu	—	نَنْسَىnansā	نَنْسَnansa	—

Rule 6: 6. The passive: رُمِيَ، يُرْمَى

In the passive every defective verb, whatever its third radical, is conjugated like نَسِيَ، يَنْسَى: perfect رُمِيَ, دُعِيَ (not دُعِوَ: a و after kasra becomes ي), رُمِيَتْ, رُمِيتُ, رُمُوا; imperfect يُرْمَى, يُدْعَى, تُرْمَيْنَ, يُرْمَوْنَ; subjunctive يُرْمَى; jussive لَمْ يُرْمَ. The derived forms follow the same two models: أُعْطِيَ، يُعْطَى, سُمِّيَ، يُسَمَّى, اُشْتُرِيَ، يُشْتَرَى, اُسْتُدْعِيَ، يُسْتَدْعَى.

دُعِيَ الْعُلَمَاءُ إِلَى الْمُؤْتَمَرِ فَلَبَّوُا الدَّعْوَةَ.
duʿiya l-ʿulamāʾu ila l-muʾtamari fa-labbawu d-daʿwata
The scholars were invited to the conference and they accepted the invitation.
دُعِيَ from دَعَا: the و has become ي after the kasra.
تُتْلَى آيَاتُ الْقُرْآنِ فِي كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ.
tutlā āyātu l-qurʾāni fī kulli ṣalātin
Verses of the Quran are recited in every prayer.
Passive imperfect of تَلَا، يَتْلُو: like يَنْسَى.
سُمِّيَ الْوَلَدُ مُحَمَّدًا وَسُمِّيَتِ الْبِنْتُ عَائِشَةَ.
summiya l-waladu muḥammadan wa-summiyati l-bintu ʿāʾishata
The boy was named Muḥammad and the girl was named ʿĀʾisha.
Form II passive; the feminine keeps the ي like نَسِيَتْ.
أُعْطِيتُ مُصْحَفًا جَدِيدًا فِي الْعِيدِ.
uʿṭītu muṣḥafan jadīdan fi l-ʿīdi
I was given a new muṣḥaf at the festival.
Form IV passive perfect with consonant suffix: iy + t = īt.
لَا يُنْسَى الْمُحْسِنُ أَبَدًا وَلَمْ يُنْسَ جَدُّنَا.
lā yunsa l-muḥsinu abadan wa-lam yunsa jaddunā
A benefactor is never forgotten, and our grandfather was not forgotten.
Indicative يُنْسَى, jussive يُنْسَ.
اُسْتُدْعِيَ الْقَاضِي إِلَى الْمَحْكَمَةِ صَبَاحًا.
ustudʿiya l-qāḍī ila l-maḥkamati ṣabāḥan
The judge was summoned to the court in the morning.
Form X passive perfect.

The passive of رَمَى (model for all defective verbs)

Active و-verbs and ي-verbs alike follow the فَعِلَ، يَفْعَلُ shape in the passive.
Person	Perfect	Imperfect indicative	Jussive
he	رُمِيَrumiya	يُرْمَىyurmā	يُرْمَyurma
she	رُمِيَتْrumiyat	تُرْمَىturmā	تُرْمَturma
you (m.)	رُمِيتَrumīta	تُرْمَىturmā	تُرْمَturma
you (f.)	رُمِيتِrumīti	تُرْمَيْنَturmayna	تُرْمَيْturmay
I	رُمِيتُrumītu	أُرْمَىurmā	أُرْمَurma
they two (m.)	رُمِيَاrumiyā	يُرْمَيَانِyurmayāni	يُرْمَيَاyurmayā
they two (f.)	رُمِيَتَاrumiyatā	تُرْمَيَانِturmayāni	تُرْمَيَاturmayā
they (m.)	رُمُواrumū	يُرْمَوْنَyurmawna	يُرْمَوْاyurmaw
they (f.)	رُمِينَrumīna	يُرْمَيْنَyurmayna	يُرْمَيْنَyurmayna
you (m. pl.)	رُمِيتُمْrumītum	تُرْمَوْنَturmawna	تُرْمَوْاturmaw
we	رُمِينَاrumīnā	نُرْمَىnurmā	نُرْمَnurma

Rule 7: 7. The participles: قَاضٍ، اَلْقَاضِي، مَرْمِيٌّ

The active participle should be رَامِيٌ, قَاضِيٌ, دَاعِيٌ. A ي with ḍamma or kasra at the end of a word after kasra is dropped, and what remains is written with tanwīn kasr: nominative and genitive رَامٍ, قَاضٍ, دَاعٍ. The accusative, where the ي would carry a fatḥa, keeps it: رَامِيًا, قَاضِيًا. With the article the ي is written in all cases but is vowelless in the nominative and genitive: اَلْقَاضِي (nom. and gen.), اَلْقَاضِيَ (acc.). The feminine is regular, قَاضِيَةٌ, دَاعِيَةٌ; the sound plural absorbs the ي: قَاضُونَ, قَاضِينَ; the common broken plural is فُعَاةٌ: قُضَاةٌ, دُعَاةٌ, رُمَاةٌ. The participles of the derived forms decline the same way: مُعْطٍ, اَلْمُعْطِي, مُشْتَرٍ, مُسْتَدْعٍ. The passive participle of Form I is مَفْعُولٌ for و-verbs, مَدْعُوٌّ (for madʿūwun), مَتْلُوٌّ, and مَفْعِيٌّ for ي-verbs, مَرْمِيٌّ, مَبْنِيٌّ, مَنْسِيٌّ; in the derived forms it ends in ـًى: مُعْطًى, مُسَمًّى, مُشْتَرًى, definite اَلْمُعْطَى, اَلْمُسَمَّى.

جَاءَ قَاضٍ عَادِلٌ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ.
jāʾa qāḍin ʿādilun ila l-madīnati
A just judge came to the city.
Nominative indefinite: قَاضٍ.
سَلَّمْتُ عَلَى الْقَاضِي وَرَأَيْتُ قَاضِيًا آخَرَ مَعَهُ.
sallamtu ʿala l-qāḍī wa-raʾaytu qāḍiyan ākhara maʿahu
I greeted the judge and saw another judge with him.
Genitive اَلْقَاضِي; accusative indefinite قَاضِيًا.
اَلدَّاعِي إِلَى الْخَيْرِ كَفَاعِلِهِ.
ad-dāʿī ila l-khayri ka-fāʿilihi
He who calls to good is like the one who does it.
Definite nominative اَلدَّاعِي with vowelless ي.
أَنْتُمْ مَدْعُوُّونَ إِلَى وَلِيمَةِ الْعُرْسِ.
antum madʿuwwūna ilā walīmati l-ʿursi
You are invited to the wedding feast.
Passive participle of a و-verb: مَدْعُوٌّ.
هٰذَا الْمَسْجِدُ مَبْنِيٌّ عَلَى التَّقْوَى.
hādha l-masjidu mabniyyun ʿala t-taqwā
This mosque is built on piety.
Passive participle of a ي-verb: مَبْنِيٌّ.
اَلْمُعْطِي خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْآخِذِ، وَالْمُشْتَرِي يَدْفَعُ الثَّمَنَ.
al-muʿṭī khayrun mina l-ākhidhi, wa-l-mushtarī yadfaʿu th-thamana
The giver is better than the taker, and the buyer pays the price.
Derived-form participles with the article.

Declension of قَاضٍ, a judge

Indefinite nominative and genitive are alike; the ي reappears only where it carries a fatḥa or stands after the article.
Case	Indefinite	Definite	Feminine	Plural
Nominative	قَاضٍqāḍin	اَلْقَاضِيal-qāḍī	قَاضِيَةٌqāḍiyatun	قَاضُونَ / قُضَاةٌqāḍūna / quḍātun
Accusative	قَاضِيًاqāḍiyan	اَلْقَاضِيَal-qāḍiya	قَاضِيَةًqāḍiyatan	قَاضِينَ / قُضَاةًqāḍīna / quḍātan
Genitive	قَاضٍqāḍin	اَلْقَاضِيal-qāḍī	قَاضِيَةٍqāḍiyatin	قَاضِينَ / قُضَاةٍqāḍīna / quḍātin

Rule 8: 8. The derived forms treat و as ي

Whatever the root, every derived form of a defective verb is conjugated as if the third radical were ي: أَعْطَى he gave (root ع-ط-و), أَعْطَيْتُ, never أَعْطَوْتُ; سَمَّى he named (root س-م-و); نَادَى he called out; اِسْتَدْعَى he summoned. Forms II, III, IV, VII, VIII and X have the imperfect in ـِي, like يَرْمِي: يُسَمِّي, يُنَادِي, يُعْطِي, يَنْقَضِي, يَشْتَرِي, يَسْتَدْعِي; jussive لَمْ يُعْطِ, imperative أَعْطِ, سَمِّ, اِشْتَرِ. Forms V and VI have the imperfect in ـَى, like يَنْسَى: تَلَقَّى، يَتَلَقَّى, تَمَنَّى، يَتَمَنَّى, تَلَاقَى، يَتَلَاقَى; jussive لَمْ يَتَمَنَّ. Verbal nouns: a ي after the long ā of إِفْعَال, اِفْتِعَال, اِسْتِفْعَال turns into hamza: إِعْطَاءٌ, اِشْتِرَاءٌ, اِسْتِدْعَاءٌ, اِنْقِضَاءٌ, and so too in Form I دُعَاءٌ, بِنَاءٌ, بُكَاءٌ, رَجَاءٌ; Form II always uses تَفْعِلَةٌ: تَسْمِيَةٌ, تَرْبِيَةٌ, تَلْبِيَةٌ; Forms V and VI give تَلَقٍّ, تَمَنٍّ, تَلَاقٍ, declined like قَاضٍ.

أَعْطَى الْغَنِيُّ الْفَقِيرَ صَدَقَةً، وَهُوَ يُعْطِي كُلَّ جُمُعَةٍ.
aʿṭa l-ghaniyyu l-faqīra ṣadaqatan, wa-huwa yuʿṭī kulla jumuʿatin
The rich man gave the poor man alms, and he gives every Friday.
Root ع-ط-و, yet أَعْطَى، يُعْطِي like رَمَى، يَرْمِي.
نَادَى الْمُؤَذِّنُ لِلصَّلَاةِ فَسَعَى النَّاسُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ.
nāda l-muʾadhdhinu li-ṣ-ṣalāti fa-saʿa n-nāsu ila l-masjidi
The muezzin called to prayer, and the people hurried to the mosque.
Form III نَادَى، يُنَادِي؛ سَعَى، يَسْعَى has a in the imperfect because of the ع.
اِشْتَرَيْتُ سَجَّادَةً لِلصَّلَاةِ وَاشْتَرَتْ أُخْتِي مُصْحَفًا.
ishtaraytu sajjādatan li-ṣ-ṣalāti wa-shtarat ukhtī muṣḥafan
I bought a prayer rug and my sister bought a muṣḥaf.
Form VIII: اِشْتَرَيْتُ, اِشْتَرَتْ, exactly like رَمَيْتُ, رَمَتْ.
يَتَلَقَّى الطُّلَّابُ دُرُوسَ التَّفْسِيرِ وَيَتَمَنَّوْنَ أَنْ يَحْفَظُوا الْقُرْآنَ.
yatalaqqa ṭ-ṭullābu durūsa t-tafsīri wa-yatamannawna an yaḥfaẓu l-qurʾāna
The students receive lessons in Quranic commentary and wish to memorise the Quran.
Form V imperfect in ـَى: يَتَلَقَّى, يَتَمَنَّوْنَ like يَنْسَوْنَ.
اِسْتَدْعَى الْأَمِيرُ الْقَاضِيَ وَلَمْ يَسْتَدْعِ الْوَزِيرَ.
istadʿa l-amīru l-qāḍiya wa-lam yastadʿi l-wazīra
The prince summoned the judge and did not summon the minister.
Form X: jussive يَسْتَدْعِ.
تَلْبِيَةُ الْحُجَّاجِ تُسْمَعُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ، وَدُعَاؤُهُمْ يَرْتَفِعُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ.
talbiyatu l-ḥujjāji tusmaʿu min baʿīdin, wa-duʿāʾuhum yartafiʿu ila s-samāʾi
The pilgrims' talbiya is heard from afar, and their supplication rises to the sky.
Verbal nouns تَلْبِيَةٌ (Form II) and دُعَاءٌ (ي after ā became hamza).

The derived forms of defective verbs

Every derived form behaves like a ي-verb. Forms II–IV, VII, VIII and X follow يَرْمِي; Forms V and VI follow يَنْسَى.
Form	Perfect	Imperfect	Jussive	Imperative	Active participle	Passive participle	Verbal noun
II	سَمَّىsammāto name	يُسَمِّيyusammī	يُسَمِّyusammi	سَمِّsammi	مُسَمٍّmusammin	مُسَمًّىmusamman	تَسْمِيَةٌtasmiyatun
III	نَادَىnādāto call out	يُنَادِيyunādī	يُنَادِyunādi	نَادِnādi	مُنَادٍmunādin	مُنَادًىmunādan	مُنَادَاةٌ / نِدَاءٌmunādātun / nidāʾun
IV	أَعْطَىaʿṭāto give	يُعْطِيyuʿṭī	يُعْطِyuʿṭi	أَعْطِaʿṭi	مُعْطٍmuʿṭin	مُعْطًىmuʿṭan	إِعْطَاءٌiʿṭāʾun
V	تَلَقَّىtalaqqāto receive	يَتَلَقَّىyatalaqqā	يَتَلَقَّyatalaqqa	تَلَقَّtalaqqa	مُتَلَقٍّmutalaqqin	مُتَلَقًّىmutalaqqan	تَلَقٍّtalaqqin
VI	تَلَاقَىtalāqāto meet one another	يَتَلَاقَىyatalāqā	يَتَلَاقَyatalāqa	تَلَاقَtalāqa	مُتَلَاقٍmutalāqin	—	تَلَاقٍtalāqin
VII	اِنْقَضَىinqaḍāto come to an end	يَنْقَضِيyanqaḍī	يَنْقَضِyanqaḍi	—	مُنْقَضٍmunqaḍin	—	اِنْقِضَاءٌinqiḍāʾun
VIII	اِشْتَرَىishtarāto buy	يَشْتَرِيyashtarī	يَشْتَرِyashtari	اِشْتَرِishtari	مُشْتَرٍmushtarin	مُشْتَرًىmushtaran	اِشْتِرَاءٌishtirāʾun
X	اِسْتَدْعَىistadʿāto summon	يَسْتَدْعِيyastadʿī	يَسْتَدْعِyastadʿi	اِسْتَدْعِistadʿi	مُسْتَدْعٍmustadʿin	مُسْتَدْعًىmustadʿan	اِسْتِدْعَاءٌistidʿāʾun

Indicative or jussive?

هُوَ يَدْعُو لِأَبِيهِ.

huwa yadʿū li-abīhi

He prays for his father. (indicative: long ū written)

لَمْ يَدْعُ لِأَبِيهِ.

lam yadʿu li-abīhi

He did not pray for his father. (jussive: the و is gone)

In a sound verb the jussive is shown by a sukūn; in a defective verb it is shown by the absence of the final letter. When you read, a missing و or ي after a prefix is the signal of a jussive or an imperative; when you write after لَمْ, لَا of prohibition or لِـ of command, drop the letter.

Person	Singular			Plural
	Arabic	Transliteration	English	Arabic	Transliteration	English
he (perfect)	رَمَى	ramā	he threw	رَمَوْا	ramaw	they (m.) threw
she (perfect)	رَمَتْ	ramat	she threw	رَمَيْنَ	ramayna	they (f.) threw
you (m., perfect)	رَمَيْتَ	ramayta	you (m.) threw	رَمَيْتُمْ	ramaytum	you (m. pl.) threw
you (f., perfect)	رَمَيْتِ	ramayti	you (f.) threw	رَمَيْتُنَّ	ramaytunna	you (f. pl.) threw
I (perfect)	رَمَيْتُ	ramaytu	I threw	رَمَيْنَا	ramaynā	we threw
dual (perfect)	رَمَيَا	ramayā	they two (m.) threw	رَمَتَا / رَمَيْتُمَا	ramatā / ramaytumā	they two (f.) / you two threw
he (imperfect)	يَرْمِي	yarmī	he throws	يَرْمُونَ	yarmūna	they (m.) throw
she (imperfect)	تَرْمِي	tarmī	she throws	يَرْمِينَ	yarmīna	they (f.) throw
you (m., imperfect)	تَرْمِي	tarmī	you (m.) throw	تَرْمُونَ	tarmūna	you (m. pl.) throw
you (f., imperfect)	تَرْمِينَ	tarmīna	you (f.) throw	تَرْمِينَ	tarmīna	you (f. pl.) throw
I (imperfect)	أَرْمِي	armī	I throw	نَرْمِي	narmī	we throw
dual (imperfect)	يَرْمِيَانِ	yarmiyāni	they two (m.) throw	تَرْمِيَانِ	tarmiyāni	they two (f.) / you two throw
he (subjunctive)	أَنْ يَرْمِيَ	an yarmiya	that he throw	أَنْ يَرْمُوا	an yarmū	that they (m.) throw
he (jussive)	لَمْ يَرْمِ	lam yarmi	he did not throw	لَمْ يَرْمُوا	lam yarmū	they (m.) did not throw
she (jussive)	لَمْ تَرْمِ	lam tarmi	she did not throw	لَمْ يَرْمِينَ	lam yarmīna	they (f.) did not throw
you (m., jussive)	لَمْ تَرْمِ	lam tarmi	you (m.) did not throw	لَمْ تَرْمُوا	lam tarmū	you (m. pl.) did not throw
you (f., jussive)	لَمْ تَرْمِي	lam tarmī	you (f.) did not throw	لَمْ تَرْمِينَ	lam tarmīna	you (f. pl.) did not throw
I (jussive)	لَمْ أَرْمِ	lam armi	I did not throw	لَمْ نَرْمِ	lam narmi	we did not throw
you (m., imperative)	اِرْمِ	irmi	throw! (m.)	اِرْمُوا	irmū	throw! (m. pl.)
you (f., imperative)	اِرْمِي	irmī	throw! (f.)	اِرْمِينَ	irmīna	throw! (f. pl.)
he (passive perfect)	رُمِيَ	rumiya	he was thrown	رُمُوا	rumū	they (m.) were thrown
he (passive imperfect)	يُرْمَى	yurmā	he is thrown	يُرْمَوْنَ	yurmawna	they (m.) are thrown

Defective Verbs

Step 1 of 5: Learn

Rule 1: 1. The perfect: رَمَى، دَعَا، نَسِيَ

Rule 2: 2. The perfect before vowel endings: رَمَتْ، رَمَوْا، نَسُوا

The perfect of the three models

Rule 3: 3. The imperfect indicative: يَرْمِي، يَدْعُو، يَنْسَى

Rule 4: 4. Subjunctive and jussive: يَرْمِيَ، يَرْمِ

Rule 5: 5. The imperative: اِرْمِ، اُدْعُ، اِنْسَ

The imperfect of رَمَى، يَرْمِي

The imperfect of دَعَا، يَدْعُو and نَسِيَ، يَنْسَى

Rule 6: 6. The passive: رُمِيَ، يُرْمَى

The passive of رَمَى (model for all defective verbs)

Rule 7: 7. The participles: قَاضٍ، اَلْقَاضِي، مَرْمِيٌّ

Declension of قَاضٍ, a judge

Rule 8: 8. The derived forms treat و as ي

The derived forms of defective verbs

Indicative or jussive?

Conjugations: "To Have"

Vocabulary

Step 2 of 5: Read

My grandfather and the old mosque

Notes

Comprehension

In the Quran

Step 3 of 5: Practice

Exercises

Step 4 of 5: Quiz

Translate from Arabic to English

Translate from English to Arabic

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

How many questions would you like?

Step 5 of 5: Finish